Lessons in Applied Empathy
by annieabed24
Summary: Annie changed Abed for good, and he hasn't figured out how to live his new life.
1. Chapter 1

_The truth is lots of girls like me because, let's face it, I'm pretty adorable, and, uh, my aloofness unconsciously reminds them of their fathers, so... I'm more used to them approaching me."_

Abed's words came back to haunt him as he spent yet another night lying awake, listening to the soft sound of Troy's breathing, and the even softer, sweeter sound of Annie sleeping, muffled though it was by the dividing wall.

He wasn't sure when he had started feeling this way. It must have been after Annie broke him in the dreamatorium, when she taught him empathy and helped him to work through some of his own self-doubt. He had made her his favourite food, afterward, flexing the muscles of this new technique, this empathy that would help make his life easier.

Except it hadn't.

This empathy gave way to a strange feeling of longing, a burning rock in his stomach. It felt uncomfortable, and made him want to shriek and withdraw from the world. Maybe then, Annie would realize that there was something wrong with him, something that she could help fix. That was cowardly, though, thought Abed as he focused on the rhythmic sleep patterns of his two best friends. If this was going to work... he needed to do it well.

He thought of Annie, in her adorable pajamas. He had snuck in to watch her sleep more than once, until she had caught him with a camera, trying to get a shot of her waking up. She had called him creepy, but wasn't that what the love interest of those awful twilight books had done? He didn't understand how she could find a character in a book endearing, and yet, when her best friend and roommate did it in real life, he was a pervert? Even empathy could not help him with this question.

His head full of confusion, and so he left his bed, left the blanket fort that he shared with his best friend, and went and sat in his recliner in the dark.

"I want to chase after Annie." He whispered to himself.

Annie had never approached him as more than a friend, as far as he could tell. He thought back to all they had done together- the paintball kiss, Don Draper, how he had forgiven her for breaking his batman movie, her saying she wasn't in love with Jeff but just in love with the idea of being loved.

His rationality said that Annie treated a lot of people this way- Jeff, Troy, Britta, Vaughn. Something about that list bothered him, but he ignored it, searching for more reasons he couldn't have what he wanted.

"I don't want to make Annie feel bad." He whispered to himself.

This... empathy meant that he would hurt if she was hurt, he would feel bad if she felt bad. That thought made him anxious. He drew his knees up to his chin, perching his feet on the edge of his recliner, and rocked, softly.

Then something stopped his rocking.

She sat down on Troy's recliner, and held Abed's hand.

"You woke me up when you got up." She whispered, and he froze. Had she heard his whispered confessions?

"Abed... you don't have to chase me. You don't make me feel bad. In fact-" she stood up, "You make me feel wonderful. I couldn't tell if it was just the characters you play, but," she lent over, her face near his, her sweet breath on his cheek, "I know for certain now that it is you."

Then, fumbling in the dark, their lips both tingling like fireworks, their mouths met, softly in practice. Abed felt electricity shoot through his body, from his lips down to his feet, the inside of his brain as soft as the inside of Annie's mouth. So, this was the start of a relationship...

As if she knew what he was thinking, she pulled away, and in the faint light coming from between the curtains, he saw her smile.

"We'll make this work."


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN **Thank-you to everyone who followed my story, reviewed it (I got a wonderful review that made me very happy. You know who you are :), and read it. I really want to explore the possible dynamics of an Abed/Annie relationship, and you guys have all encouraged me to do that. Also, I find author's notes really hard to write, so please excuse my ramblings._

_Anyhow, the timeline for this story is (obviously) post Virtual Systems Analysis, but currently pre Basic Lupine Urology. There will be season 3 finale spoilers, but I imagine you all have seen that already, so it's okay. Sorry this chapter is less cute than the last one, but I think a relationship often has more far reaching consequences than the two involved, and I think that would be something Abed would be interested in. So, without further ado, please enjoy!_

* * *

Abed looked at Annie, trying not to make it obvious that he was silently communicating with her to the rest of the group. It was the night after she had kissed him, and they seemed to have an unspoken agreement that they were not going to share what had happened with the rest of the group... at this stage. What he really wanted to do was to simultaneously announce to the whole of Greendale that Annie- Annie Edison, the lovely Annie with the envious boobs and winning smile, had kissed him- horse-necked Abed Nadir- and run away with his Annie forever, so they didn't have to ruin the fabric of the group. That was not going to work, however, so he had improvised a solution.

"Hey, Annie, I need some help with studying for Post Modern Business Logistics..." He said, during a lull in conversation around the study table. She looked over at him and did that adorable half smile.  
"Well, um, Abed, I can show you where the best resources are?" she said, gathering her things.

"Oh! Oh! Can I come with you guys? I've been thinking about changing to that class!" Troy blurted,. Abed's readings of faces and understanding of social cues was (and is) still terrible, but he had been working on learning tiny hints hidden in people's voices. It was like a game, where he gained XP for being able to read these hints, and his rewards were better and closer friendships. It was a win-win situation, and the best thing of all was that no-one had noticed. For some strange reason, he got anxious when people noticed small things about his personality, or about his goals, evident in his mannerisms. That was for Abed to read in other people, not for other people to read in Abed.

Anyhow, he had picked up from Troy's speech that he was seriously considering this and was very keen to acompany them. His empathy told me that his feelings would be hurt if either Annie or himself said no, and he valued his friend. So, with the proviso of maintaining the fabric of the group, and with the intention of edifying Troy, he made the split second decision to say 'yes."

His yes cut into the beginning of Annie's evident 'No", and she seemed confused, like he was sending mixed signals. He shot her a smile with a tiny touch of Cary Grant in North by Northwest, and she blushed, just a tiny bit but enough for him to notice.

"Oh man, I'm so excited to learn about PoMoBuisLog!" Troy said eagerly, as the trio wormed their way to a more secluded corner of the library, which just so happened to contain the books on the subject. Annie, to Abed's well trained eye, was nervous, and liable to start behaving erratically at any moment.  
"So Troy," she said, and Abed prayed that she wouldn't say anything obvious or tactless. He was lucky this time, because all she said was, "When are you planning to take PoMoBuiLog? Because we're halfway through the semester already, and it will be a bit hard to catch up?"

Abed breathed in relief, but they really needed to have this talk, soon, before the fabric of the group was inadvertently torn. It hurt Abed to admit, but Troy could not know about them, not yet anyway. Troy was the biggest blabbermouth Abed had ever met, and though he loved him dearly, he knew he would not be able to keep this secret. Whether it was released unconsciously when talking about something else, or he purposely went to another member of the group to help him keep the secret or decided what he thought about it, the story would be out in a matter of hours, and then the fabric of the group would be torn, Annie and Abed's relationship would be relentlessly questioned before it had even really begun, and the growth would be stunted. No, Abed thought, it would be better to grow it in secret, until it's at a point where it could stand up to the vigorous interrogation of their friends, where Annie and Abed could learn more about each other, and weave their own story before other people were woven in. It was the only way.

"Oh, of course, I forgot it was so late in the year!" Troy replied, and seemed to make a description. "Is it okay if I just watch your study session? Then I can take it next year!"

"Sure," Abed said offhandedly, "That's cool. What business are you planning to go into, Troy? This is one of the classes my dad still makes me take, just in case I do decide to go into Falafel." Troy smiled a little sheepishly at this.

"I want to learn stuff. This seems like a cool thing to learn. The type of thing that means I can live in a flash apartment and write novels on Sunday nights with a glass of marshmallow vodka. While my pet pomeranian dances for me. Like a bear. On a unicycle."

"Cool. Cool Cool Cool. Dancing dogs." Abed said, as the three of them sat down to study. Annie, true to form, pulled out exactly the right books, and passed to Abed a neatly highlighted sheet of notes. Troy put his head on Abed's shoulder to read the notes, an action that Abed would have found unforgivable in anyone else.

They studied for a while, with Troy interjecting with questions occasionally. Annie shot Abed a look a few times, a look that clearly said Get-Rid-of-Troy-Pretty-Please? Abed waited though. Troy was enjoying himself, and an opportunity would come up soon.

Troy excused himself to go to the bathroom, and the pair watched him go, breathing softly in anticipation. When he was out of hearing range, Annie turned to Abed.

"What did you want to talk about?" She said, fluttering those beautiful doe eyes. Abed wished they had the effect she obviously intended to have on him, but he still very much appreciated their beauty. His head, however, was clear.

"Us, Annie. We need to talk about how this is going to work."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN**_- Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed my last chapter, I am super appreciative :) Also, Troy is a fantastic character to write. He's such a fantastically geeky man-child without all the lameness of regular man-children. Love it._

* * *

Annie tucked her hair behind her ear, in a tentative manner, and stared up at Abed with her fabled Disney eyes. She cleared her throat and began to speak.

"Um... Abed... I went though this with Jeff last year, when he didn't actually want to be involved with me, but apparently with Britta instead. I'm sorry I assumed, and there is no need for a massive discussion about how "childish" I am, or how you really regret what you did, or whatever other reason you don't actually want to be with me." Annie began to gather up her things, her sorrow evident in the way that she moved. Abed was a little shocked that he had given her this impression, but that was the peril of having the facial expression range of a rock. He was a little bemused at the fact that Annie had transferred her childish needs from Jeff onto him so quickly, but after all, Abed was now the lead in a romance story. It was only to be expected, he consoled himself, and then he turned his attention to consoling his disappointed paramour.

"Annie, that's not what I want." He said, and her face perked up in hope; but the cautious type of hope that is very aware that any second it could be drastically crushed.  
"Annie, I want a relationship with you. I want that very much. I want to make this work. But I do think, that in order for this to happen, we need to work out our collective priories. Our priorities as a couple."

Annie looked a little confused at this, so Abed continued. "Remember last year, when I figured out that Jeff and Britta were sleeping together? How that seriously threatened the fabric of our group, and our happiness? Remember when I tried to make Jeff and Britta get married? Remember how much havoc that wreaked? Wow, all these examples seem to involve Jeff and Britta. My point is, that I don't want us to make those mistakes, I don't want us to be 'Jeff and Britta: the Annie and Abed edition.' I don't think our friendship group is able to handle the stress of another romantic relationship right now, and if it could, it would tear you and I apart. We've been together for a grand total of twelve hours, and I know that Jeff for one would do his utmost to tear us apart. I don't think he wants to date you, but he doesn't want anyone else to date you either. Remember the fuss he made over you dating Vaughn? So, honestly, I think it would be best for us- best for everyone in fact- if we did this in secret for now."

Annie nodded. "I think I understand. Are we having a trial relationship?"

"If you think that's a good idea, Annie, I will agree to it." Abed replied, smiling. Annie smiled back. She enjoyed seeing the normally stoic Abed smile, especially while not playing a character.

"Can we not even tell Troy, though?" Annie asked. "Because, well, you know. We live with him? Surely, it's going to get awkward?"

"I've been thinking about that too, Annie. Troy is not the type of person who can keep a secret. He just straight up and told Pierce that Shirley slept with Chang, without even meaning to. Troy is my best friend... and it hurts to keep secrets from him... but this is the only way. I ran some scenarios after you went back to bed last night." When Abed said this, Annie noticed the tiredness in his face, realising that he hadn't slept at all since they had... kissed last night.

"Oh, Abed. You need to go to bed. You can't stay up all night like that." Annie said, and luckily this was the moment that Troy decided to come back from the bathroom.

"Is something wrong with Abed? Abed, you can't die. I'd be so lonely!" said Troy, obliviously overreacting. Abed looked at him and cocked his head.

"You're overreacting, Troy. Annie, I've had all nighters before. Remember the Mad Men marathon we had last week? Lord of the Rings extended editions? I know how to handle a little sleepiness."

His friends calmed down, Troy muttering to himself at he sat down again.

"Don't scare me like that, Abed."

"Well, Abed, you need to maybe not have so many? Are you sure you don't want to go home? I can take you. Even though I'd have to..." she looked around, making sure no-one was listening, and then whispered loudly across the table, "skip class."

"Annie..." Abed said, and was promptly interrupted by Troy.

"Yeah man... you don't look so well. I'll take you home."

Annie widened her eyes, tell-tale signs that she was about to begin vehemently telling Troy why she was the better candidate to look after Abed... it was too obvious, Abed thought. He needed to sort out this argument before it begun.

"Troy, you have a test today. You told me this morning over lucky charms. Annie, I am feeling a little tired, now that you do mention it. And since you offered, you can take me home. Though I am capable of making it there on my own, if you do want to go to your class." Abed said, stopping the two people closest to him in the whole world arguing over him.

"Oh yeah. Thanks for reminding me, Abed. I'll come home as soon as I'm done to make sure you're not getting sick. I'll get some special drink mix too." Troy said, and got up, leaving the couple to make their way back to apartment 303.

On his way to his class, he stopped by the study room to see if Britta was there, just to see what she was up to, and if maybe they could hang out or something later. Most of the rest of the study group was there, surprisingly.

"Where are Annie and Abed, Troy?" Shirley asked, in her sweet and lilting voice.

"Abed was tired, so Annie's going to take him home. She even offered to miss a class for him. I was going to take him home but I have a test. Annie is such a good friend." Troy beamed, as he pulled out his one school notebook, hoping to find at least some notes for the test in among all the ideas for things to play out in the dreamatorium.

What he didn't notice, though, was the muscles of suspicion tightening in Jeff Winger's face.


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN- **__Some of the reviews and messages I've been getting have been so flattering. Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to fav, review and follow the story, and also message me. I'm so glad people like this story! I wrote it mostly for myself, because I went through and read every single Annie/Abed fanfic I could find on the internet, and needed more, but I am so glad that it's not just me who likes it. Also, just carrying on on this theme, more people should totally write Annie/Abed fics. It doesn't matter if you don't think that you can write or whatever. It's easy to learn, if you do write (and check out awesome writing tip blogs like Terrible Minds) but the world does need more Annie and Abed :D_

_This chapter is shameless fluff. I was blushing at cute while writing it. So, sorry if there are any glaring mistakes, because my eyes may have been glazed over at the time. _

* * *

"This brick is here all the time?" Annie asked, picking up the fire brick propping the building open. "You mean people can get into our apartment building whenever they want during the day?"

"Yup," Abed replied, "Have you never come home halfway through the day? It's really hard to get Rick to open the door, and you know how much this lock sticks."

"Yeah, I have come home during the day before," Annie said, "but I guess I never really noticed. I notice strange things at strange times."

"I'll say you do. It's one of your... character quirks." Abed replied.

They walked up the stairs in the kind of awkward silence, reserved for newly dating couples. It doesn't matter how long you've known someone, when you move up a rank in relationship status, there is bound to be at least some awkwardness. Annie and Abed were guaranteed at least a little more than usual, because they already lived together, and now they had to change their thinking about a lot of the other things- small things, that they used to take for granted. Abed thought about this in terms of a relationship episode of their sitcom life, and wondered how Annie was going to take to it. Her unpredictable nervous energy was bound to give the audience (whoever they were) some cringing laughs. Speaking of cringing laughs, Abed vowed to watch "The Office" again sometime soon.

They made it to the door, Annie blushing furiously, giving Abed no doubt as to why she was so silent. Typical new couple issues.

"Well, what do you want to do now?" He asked, and she looked at him, a little confused.

"Aren't you going to bed? Wasn't that the point of us coming home, because you were tired?" She said, and he observed the adorable way her lip shook slightly in nervousness or anticipation.

"I'm tired, but I'm not sleepy. Not yet anyhow," Abed replied, "And I'd prefer to not go to bed until I'm sleepy. If I try and force myself to sleep, it's not going to work, and I will have wasted an hour when I could have been doing something to make me sleepy." Annie blushed at this, and Abed realized that his words could have been misconstrued a little... dirtily. He was a little surprised that her mind had obviously gone there, and thought for a minute about correcting her. In the end, he decided that he could have been wrong, and talking overtly about dirty things might make things more tense, or lead to an early relationship step. He knew all about hurrying a relationship too much, and how it could end badly for both of them. He didn't want their relationship to be all about sex, and he wanted them to build some foundations of romance before they took it to lust. Abed was nothing if he didn't know his tropes.

"I was thinking, buttered noodles and tv?" He asked, as her blush began to fade, and she nodded, not trusting herself to say anything.

Abed walked to the kitchen to start preparing the noodles, leaving Annie standing there.

"Um... do you want me to pick something?" She asked, dumping her bag in her bedroom and making herself comfortable on Troy's armchair.

Abed thought about this. He knew he had a penchant for controlling people. He wanted her to watch something that she enjoyed. He also didn't want to sit through something that he didn't enjoy.

"How about you pick a bunch of movies that you wouldn't mind seeing, and I'll pick one out of your selection?" He said, hoping this wouldn't offend her too much. He didn't hear a reply, but the shuffling of DVD cases was a good enough answer for him. By the time he brought out two steaming bowls of buttered noodles, she had put out a small array of DVDs in a meticulous fan pattern. He handed her a bowl, and knelt down to inspect the selection she had chosen.

Something was interesting about this selection she had picked. Inspector Space Time. Blade. Dark Knight. Breakfast Club. Sixteen Candles. She had picked a bunch of his favorite movies! He was humbled and amazed that she had paid enough attention that she had retained these movies. And to put them out, when he knew that her favorites were things like Atonement, Brides-head Revisited, Pride and Prejudice? He blushed, just a little, and chose the Breakfast Club.

"This one is sure to make me sleepy," he said, as he settled down in his own chair, the steam from hid noodles dampening his face. "I know it so well, and enjoy it so much..." He was rambling a little, he knew, but it was suddenly imperative that he fill the silence between them.

It was half an hour later when he realized his noodles had gone cold without him even taking a bite of them.

It was fifteen minutes later when he turned to look at her. She was breathing softly. Her noodles were barely eaten as well. Abed felt so... tense. He didn't want to rush things, and he didn't want to make Annie feel embarrassed by saying something he shouldn't. He examined these feelings, marveling in their newness to him. Usually, girls chased him and made it very easy for him, or they were as emotionally distant as he was. It was so new to him to want someone in a way that he wasn't sure if he could have. He was just a little sure that he liked this... enjoyed this level of uncertainty on a grounds that was more than just friendship. But still... what if Annie really didn't like him? He was pretty sure that he really liked her.

She quickly looked at him, and he realized that this must be his cue to look away, so they could have one of those "they were looking at me" moments. He was tempted, for a millisecond, but reminded himself that he wasn't playing a character in this relationship, that this was Abed Nadir and Annie Edison: The Relationship. So, he kept looking at her.

When Annie realized that Abed was intently studying her face, she blushed, and a subconscious smile spread over her face. They stared at each other for what felt like the longest time, each bathing in the warm feeling of mutual attraction, but just that little too unsure to make the first move.

Annie finally made the first move. She got up, out of her chair, and took Abed's still full bowl from his hands, and took both of their bowls to the bench. Abed wasn't sure what to think. Was this a rejection? This didn't happen in romantic TV shows or movies Abed watched. Did this mean that she was just being sympathetic last night and today? It didn't quite add up when combined with the way she had acted in the library, but had she changed her mind since then. He must have creeped her out. What was he going to do? Would he have to Don Draper her into staying with him? Could he live with himself if he did?

She quelled his frantic internal monologue by coming over and sitting on the arm of his chair, and looking right into his eyes.

"Um... is this okay?" She asked, her anxiety and fear of rejection flashing on her face.

Abed didn't reply, he just wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her, again and again, intensely relieved that she was just as nervous as him, and that his bad facial reading skills hadn't hampered his chances. They spent a long time just cuddling and kissing and saying little more than they needed too. They didn't even notice when the movie ended.

When Troy's key jangled in the lock, they were snapped out of their little world, and Annie quickly moved herself back into the other armchair. Feigning interest in the TV, Abed noticed she had gone bright red. Must be the adrenalin, he reasoned.

"Hey guys," Troy said, sauntering in with a bag of shopping on his arm. "I got some snacks and special drink mi- why are you guys watching the DVD menu for 'The Breakfast Club?"


	5. Chapter 5

_**AN- **__Sorry guys, sad chapter :( As always, thanks for the reviews, and I hope you still do enjoy the story even after this chapter. I guess it's a good chapter to go with the news of Community Season 4 being postponed? _

_Also, this chapter contains spoilers for Season 3 Episodes 19+20. If you haven't seen them yet, watch them before reading this. It won't make much sense if you haven't seen them._

* * *

The news of Starburn's death and the events surrounding it seemed like a strange blur to Abed. He stared at the urn he had rescued from the riot in the cafeteria, and subsequently stashed in the Dreamatorium's engine. Troy hadn't wanted it in the house, but Abed needed it. It was one of the last things that he had to cling to his sanity, to cling to Greendale.

His father had been extremely disappointed that Abed had been expelled, but agreed to keep paying Abed's rent up until the end of the final semester. Abed had promised Gobi that he'd get back in, but his father had just laughed in his face and told him that he'd help him move soon.

After a while of Abed withdrawing, not being able to cope with the reality of everything that had happened, Annie had finally gotten so exasperated that she yelled at him. Abed just stared at her, not knowing what to do, not knowing how to fix it. She had broken down in tears at his feet, and hit him, and he just stood there. At the end of it all, Annie had whispered that they needed to go on a break. No, they weren't breaking up. She just needed some time to sort herself out... and so did he, was the unspoken but heavily implied ending of that sentence. He still hadn't said a word. She left him there, standing in the kitchen, to go to her own room, to sob in the pillows. Troy found him there later, and made him go to bed.

A week or so of tense living later, Britta nonchalantly remarked that she hoped Annie's date was going well. Both Jeff and Abed looked at her, wide eyed. What... what was going on? Abed thought. Annie... dating someone else? They needed to get back to Greendale. If he could get them back to Greendale, then Annie would come back to him, and everything would go back to normal.

Dressed like the one character he believed could help him find out the truth of what had really happened in the school, he assumed the personality of Inspector Space Time, just for a little while. The inspector could help him reclaim his education and the heart of the girl he loved. He knew that the real Dean Pelton could not... would not have expelled them. If he could just find proof...

The policeman who brought him home over the two months every time he was caught was a kind man, but he knew he had his prioritories in the wrong place. They talked about Inspector Spacetime a lot in the patrol car, and discussed meeting up for Comicon.

"It's such a shame you've dressed as Inspector Spacetime. It almost makes me not want to take you into custody." was one of Officer Kawaoski's common lines.

Finally, the Officer urged the dean to press charges, pulling Abed into the school to talk to him. While Abed sat, handcuffed in a chair in the dean's office, he realised something important. His suspicions were confirmed: this was not the real dean. Sure, he was bald, and he was nervous, and he dressed the same, and acted the same... but Abed knew his dean. And this was not his Dean Pelton. Not by a long shot.

He finally had the concrete truth of it. This was the answer that he needed to win Annie back.

When the study group found out that he had been arrested yet again, they volunteered to take Abed to the psychiatrist that the false dean recommended. Abed somehow found himself on the couch. Annie was sitting next to him, as usual. They weren't talking much these days- these days Abed barely spoke- but for some strange reason she always seemed to be close to him. She must be teasing me, he thought. She knows how much I love her, how much I want her, but yet, she dates other people. He calmed himself down, reminding himself that everything will be how it should be once they got back to Greendale. His Annie would be His Annie again.

Abed could tell that the psychiatrist was not on the level, the second he had seen him. He didn't talk, because this person was going to deem him crazy no matter what he said. He was working for the false dean. Abed didn't want to waste his time trying to convince some quack that he wasn't crazy. He knew he wasn't crazy. He had just withdrawn a little more from the world, become more analytical, so that he could plot and plan and scheme. There was a lot more than his sanity at stake here.

When the study group had finally worked out that the doctor was not really a doctor, when they had worked out that they were not in fact crazy, Abed knew he had more chips on his table. The study group were on his side. It had been easier than he expected, he mused to himself that night. If he had known how easy it was to galvanize the study group to action, he could probably have done it himself. That was one thing he had to thank Chang and the Doppledeaner for.

Phase two of his plan was to remind Annie about him, and of the fact that he did have feelings, even though they were sometimes hard to access, and even harder for others to read. He got out of bed, and went and sat on the floor of the Dreamatorium, with Starburns.

"Well, we were never really friends, were we buddy?" He murmurered to the urn. "Except for that time in Spanish class, where we made those movies. Good times. I guess that's why you sent me your will, and your ashes. The green screen at the end... I hope you liked your final movie."

He waited for a second, before he remembered that he was talking to an urn.

"I blew it with Annie, Starburns. I got kicked out of Greendale... and I just broke. I guess it wasn't fair of me to put her through that, especially by herself. I miss her so much, though, buddy. I only got... maybe a week... with the love of my life, and now she hates me. I can tell. She's been dating other guys. Other other guys, too. Not even Jeff other guys. Maybe getting kicked out of Greendale broke her a little too." He thought over this a bit. Maybe tomorrow he could talk to her... after they went out to Pierce's "Important Secret Meeting."

The next day, Abed's head full of confusion, he allowed himself to be drawn into the compelling world of Castle Hawkthorne. Annie was still treating him strangely, and it hurt. When he met Hilda... he almost forgot all about Annie. Hilda was everything he wanted. She was Robyn all over again, but with more things to talk about. It was like talking to a small, pixelised female version of himself. Also, she made children on demand. That was something to be said for AI women. They sure had their functions. Of course he knew that she wasn't real, but it was fun to pretend just for a little while, that this magical woman had come to life to just do things for Abed. Also, his children, they were so useful. He never noticed Annie's smile fading whenever she saw the two of them together, or realized that Annie was trying to talk about them when he was showing off his legions of children. That one was Jeff's fault, Jeff, the master interrupter.

Once the game was over, however, it was over. Hilda was just a piece of code, and she could never really truly make him happy. He copied the game though, just in case it came in handy. You never know when you're going to get so sad that you need to escape into a 16bit alternate reality.

He couldn't even tell if Annie had noticed him being with another woman, pixelated though she was. This hurt him even more, that he couldn't even get a reaction. That night was one of the first nights that he truly cried. Tears are interesting, he thought to himself, feeling more and more bitter. It was strange to him, that strong emotion meant water leaking out of your face.


	6. Chapter 6

_**AN**__- Here you are. A horribly bitter-sweet chapter. I'm trying to write this as it currently being something that *could* happen behind the scenes in the cannon story line. I'm not sure how well it will stand up to season 4, but at the moment I'm being as faithful to cannon as possible. Also, from an outsider's POV, the moments when Abed is having intense introspection are those times where he widens his eyes, cocks his head, and makes strange hand movements. At least he's not Chang-ing it and lip-syncing his inner dialogue :P _

_By the way, I've been getting some reviews that make me super happy. Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to review, fav or follow my story, or even read it. I am very appreciative _

_**WARNING: This chapter contains intense spoilers, and won't make sense if you haven't seen the season 3 finale. You have been warned. **_

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Elaborate heists were one of Abed's favorite group activities. There is nothing like planning and executing a scheme to make your enemies look hilarious. Even better, Abed got to play the part of a New Yorkian plumber. The only plumber better was an Italian one, but he guessed that would be stretching it a little far, to turn up as freaking Mario. Nothing would give the game away more than an Arabic/Polish man and his black friend turning up (with fake mustaches) and saying "It'sa me, Mario." Might as well flush the elaborate heist down the toilet. No, they only needed one terrible, racist actor, and Pierce's swami would do the trick perfectly.

The first step in the door, not in police custody, but as a free (albeit, different) man was a fantastic thing for Abed. He breathed in the strange smell of Greendale, and knew soon, that he would have both his education and his girl back in his arms. Nothing could stop him, not even the Changlorious Basterds, in their small children sized uniforms. Why were these children out so late, Abed wondered absentmindedly, where were their parents, and why were they not making a fuss about their children being out at... eight? How did these children get the time off school? Did Chang kidnap these children, like he had with those children he thought were Shirley's? Abed mentally shook his head, and tried to focus on the job at hand, instead of the potential child-napping case surrounding him. He had to unstick a chicken from a toilet and talk about how awful his pretend wife was.

It was Abed's responsibility to keep the Basterds busy while Troy sledgehammered through the wall. They had arranged it like this because, while Abed was better at sports, Troy was just a little bit stronger. Also, Troy had a really bad habit of blurting the truth when he felt pressure, and Abed was really committed to his character work.

"So," he said, leaning up a little against the wall, "where do you guys go to school?"  
The Basterds looked at him like he was crazy, so he twirled his mustache a little, and motioned his head at the door. "We've got a little while to wait while my buddy taps into the hydraulic float valve."

One of the children continued to glare at him, but another one answered.

"We do our schooling by distance learning. Means we can study on some of our breaks, beat the old people who come here, and still turn out smarter than anyone who actually goes to this turd of a school." This was the moment when Abed was glad it was him out here, because Troy would have wanted to wedgie this kid for being such a smart-ass. Abed was committed though, and hid his disgust.

"I didn't know they did Middle School by correspondence..." He replied, laying his fake accent on thick.

"You don't know a lot of things, by the look of it. You're a plumber. You know poop." Another kid said, and all the Basterds around him burst into laughter.

Luckily, that was the moment Troy needed help.

"Rod, I need help!" He cried, and Abed was more than pleased to go.

"Ouf ba Boof!" Abed said, opening the door, "Sounds like Barry needs some help!" The children ignored him, carrying on their guard duty like small rototillers. With stun batons.

Inside the toilet, Troy was standing in Chang's office with that excited look on his face, holding up a sheet of paper.

"Great," Abed said, "Now come out. We need to get the Doppledeaner."

They stood around awkwardly while waiting for the false dean, Abed talking loudly about his (Rod's) wife.

"Gee, this dean really is taking a long time. Like my wife when we need to go out!"

Abed wanted to laugh at the false dean when he turned up. Unfortunately, that was not something Rod would have done, so instead he just positioned him perfectly for Troy to spill the 'plumber's acid' on him. It was lucky for them all that this Doppledeaner was about as sensible as the real Dean Pelton. The 'Dean' predictably freaked out when he was told he had plumber's acid on him, and was also easy to convince that it would kill him if he didn't take his clothes off and come with them right now. The poor man was all but lifted by the two friends as they hurried him to the south library hallway toilets. As he was running with the small man, Abed took a moment to think about the hilarity of the current situation. Here, a man pretending to be the Dean of a College was being tricked into thinking he had a fake acid on him by two false plumbers. If the situation wasn't so life and death for Abed, he would have thought he was on a TV show, or in some type of hilarious fan-fiction. In fact, the fact that it was so life and death for him further convinced him that he was being watched by some type of audience, and took a moment to look at where he thought they would be, and give a little wave. No response, he thought, but that was the nature of these things: while the characters have the ability to reach out to the audience, the audience don't really have a way to reach back.

"Rod, Focus! We need to get Craig the lotion!" Troy said, and Abed came back to his present situation.

"Well, Barry, it would be faster if we left him here. Stand in this bathroom, Dean Pelton, since you're in your underpants. Don't want any dames giving you the reverse porkies." Abed said, and the frightened Doppledeaner just nodded.

"We'll be back, don't you worry," said Troy, with no intention of coming back.

Troy and Abed ducked into an empty classroom, knowing they had about five minutes to spare before they walked out the front door with the rest of the study group and the real Dean. Troy went to turn the lights on, but Abed said that he probably shouldn't. Who knows when one of the Changlorious Basterds would walk past and bust them, right before they had finished their perfect plan. It would be awful if they had been caught. So they sat there in the dark, but it wasn't weird because they were Troy and Abed, and they'd sat in the dark together lots of times before.

"Abed... I've been meaning to talk to you about something... what do you think of Britta?" Troy said.

"Britta? She's nice. Very strongly opinionated, sometimes to the point of hypocrisy. She sleeps with our friends and then wrecks them. She thinks she's a physiologist, but she's not yet. She's my friend. Why?" Abed said, stroking his fake mustache.

"Um... Well... I think I like her." Troy said.

"Unsurprising information," Abed replied, "She's clearly interested in you, she has nice facial symmetry, and she has the "Older woman" appeal. Not quite a cougar, but not far from it."

"When we were running surveillance on the school the other day... we had a moment. Not a kissy romantic moment. More like a brain sync moment, like me and you have. I was talking about how awesome binoculars are, and then we both said that they're 'telephones for your eyes' at the same time. I think I want to marry her." Troy said, which surprised Abed. He had known Troy to have lots of different girlfriends through the time that he had known him, but Troy had never been serious about any of them. Troy had also never really been friends with any of them either, but still, Abed wasn't sure how the fabric of the group would hold up to this new revelation.

"Well, that's awesome, Troy. You know, I have been thinking of settling down myself." Abed said, in a moment of truthful clarity.

"Oh right, with Hilda," Troy said, rolling his eyes. Abed couldn't actually see Troy rolling his eyes, but he knew his friend well enough to know that that's what he was doing.

"No, actually, with- Oh, we need to leave or we're going to be late for our Oceans Eleven moment."Abed said, confession overshadowed by the potential for missing making a movie reference. Heartfelt moment or not, Abed knew where his priorities lay.

After the study group and the real Dean had been imprisoned by Chang, and had the genre-appropriate evil monolog, Troy gave his soul to the air conditioning repair school. Abed was pretty sure he witnessed his sacrifice, but sometimes Troy nodded his head to random things any way. It was just one of his character quirks. Abed confronted him about it, after they had cut the wire on Chang's ill advised fireworks display.

"I didn't want you all to die," was Troy's answer. "I would rather sacrifice myself to a life of AC misery, and have you guys live long happy lives, without me, than for us all to die in a fire."

"I'm not sure we can live happy lives without you." was Abed's only reply, as he pushed his real reaction down, so he could deal with it later. Right now was for stopping Chang. This was probably the last thing that him and Troy would ever do together, and he needed to enjoy it, as much as you can ever enjoy defeating your biggest enemy. Wait, scratch that, Abed thought. Defeating your biggest enemy was a good thing.

"So, Abed, who was that person you were about to tell me about, if it's not Hilda?" Troy asked, as they inspected Chang's top quality and obviously illegal fireworks.

"The person that I like. Well, I'm not sure if she likes me back, so I might as well tell you. It's-"

"You did it! We're done, right, right?" Said Jeff Winger, running into the room, followed by Annie, and the rest of the study group. Their excitement escalated with the madness of their current situation, everyone except Abed full absorbed by the strange antics of Chang. Little did they know that in attempting to gain back the pieces of Abed's heart, they had lost a bigger part of it.

As Abed watched his best friend walk out the door with the AC repairman, and out of Abed's life forever, he felt himself really wishing that he had told Troy that it was Annie that he was in love with. It was the one last, unspoken secret between them, and it would always be unspoken. Abed now had to adjust to living in the blanket fort by himself, in an apartment with no-one but his ex-girlfriend, who he wasn't really on speaking terms with. With one empty bed in the bunk-bed.

The study-group hung around apartment 303 for about an hour, but made their excuses to leave, one by one. Abed didn't leave the blanket fort to say goodbye. This was space that he needed. They all knew that, and wouldn't hold it against him.

The last person to leave was Jeff.

"Look Annie, I don't understand why you don't want to go out. I'll even pay for dinner." Abed heard him say, and put a pillow over his head to try and drown out the noise. He didn't want to hear his friend ask Annie out.

"Look, Jeff. We're friends. I'm not interested in you any more. Do you want me to call you a cab? You've had a little much to drink, I think." Annie said sternly. Abed could imagine her, stroppy as ever. Her lips would be closed, tightly with determination, her arms folded over her chest. She was a wolverine when she was annoyed, and if Jeff wasn't careful, he would get bitten.

"No, no. I've only had one, I'm fine to drive. Look, I'm not going to argue about this. I'll pick you up to go to the movies tomorrow, about 11." Jeff said. He walked out of the apartment, slamming the door after himself, and Abed heard Annie open it again, and yell "NO!"

She slammed it again for full effect.

Now, the apartment was silent. He heard the creaks of Annie walking around, occasionally, and he heard her making herself some food, but she was so quiet about it that he would have missed it if he hadn't been listening for it. When he finally stopped hearing her, he gave himself permission to cry. Not too much, just a little bit, and quietly, so Annie wouldn't be embarrassed by his emotions. He must have misjudged the volume, he thought, when Annie slid into his bed. He hadn't heard her come in, and he wasn't sure why she was here.

"Annie, why are you here?" He asked, trying to not let his sorrow get into his voice.

"I realized I broke a promise I made to you, Abed. I promised that when we first got together, we'd make this work. I wasn't supportive of you, when you had your breakdown, and when you realized that Chang had kidnapped the real Dean. I'm sorry. I was immature, and acted badly. I'm sorry I let Britta convince me that going for a date with one of her friends was a good idea. Most of all, I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. I'm going to try and make that up to you." She wrapped her arms around him, and cuddled him.

"You know, I'm not sure we can just pick up where we left off. I'm not sure I'm up to much, without Troy." Abed said, coldly, hating himself for it, but it was the only thing he knew he could say.

"I know, Abed," Annie replied, "We'll start out as friends again, and work our way back up."

This made Abed smile, despite his tears. Annie was here to help him work through every single thing that had happened. This was the new normal now, this is what Troy sacrificed himself so that Abed could have.

"Okay, Annie. Let's spend this summer being friends. But can we spend the summer being friends who cuddle, and don't date other people?" Abed asked, and in reply, Annie squeezed him tighter.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN**- Jeepers, 7 chapters already? I promise I'll have this done by the end of November, for sure, but I wasn't really expecting to write this much for my first official fic :3 Oh well, it's fun to write, when it's not depressing. And hopefully NBC will announce a new start date before I do finish! Moses and David said in an interview that the first episode is pretty Abed-centric, so that's made me really really excited. Abed is the best.

Anyhow, hope you all are enjoying this! I read and appreciate every review, and appreciate every fav and follow. Also, thanks to Gemagination who spotted a mistake I made in a previous chapter- it's all fixed up now! Now, time for me to watch Mad Men and/or Supernatural!

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That summer was one of the strangest and hardest summers of Abed Nadir's life. He watched a lot of TV with Annie, and bottled up some of his feeling towards her. They were just friends, right now, exclusive friends, but friends all the same. Friends don't really kiss each other on the mouth, except Jeff and Britta, and Jeff and Annie, and Jeff and just about any female ever. Britta came over a lot, but mostly to do weird things, like sniff Troy's pillow when she thought no-one was watching, or spend hours holed up in Annie's bedroom.  
Without Troy, the apartment and the group as a whole had lost a lot of levity, and many times it descended into bickering. Troy was the person who kept a lot of the chaos out of their lives, and without him, the study-group became messy and easily upset.

Abed also spent a lot of time on his own. It wasn't like when he lived by himself. Sure, he spent a lot of time eating lucky charms and watching TV, but then he was essentially content most of the time. Now, he ate lucky charms and watched TV because he was so miserable and anxious. Any time the lock jangled in the door, Abed half convinced himself that it was Troy, run away from the AC school, and come back to play with Abed in the Dreamatorium. When Annie and any combination of the study group walked through the door he had to push down his disappointment and be civil. When it was just Annie, he was less disappointed and more open about it. Either way, though, it wasn't Troy, and the door, just like everything else in this apartment, was a horrible reminder of his absence.

The world wasn't entirely Troy-less, though. They'd discussed with him, before he had to leave, how things were going to work financially. Troy had told them that he essentially had a free ride thought AC school, and would continue to pay his share of the rent, up until the end of the lease. So now, when Abed was sitting in his armchair, he could still feel that he was living in a house that (for now) belonged partially to Troy. He walked on the floor, that was partially Troy's floor, used the kitchen, which was partially Troy's kitchen, and slept in the Bunk Bed, that was also partially Troy's. The other armchair was Troy's, too, despite Annie using it often. She'd always used it, and it had always been Troy's. Nothing was changing that.

In some ways, it was nice for Abed to spend a lot of time by himself, as long as he didn't think about why he was spending time by himself. He could lose himself in TV, in comics, in the internet, and not have to worry about doing anything. The rest of the study-group spent the summer doing a catch-up course for Biology, but Abed refused to join them. He and Troy had already passed biology in the first year, and Abed had already been a bit unwilling to do a course that he had already passed in first year again in third year. So, while everyone else was spending time getting re-acquainted with Greendale, and being (mostly) happy and social, Abed had given himself a summer to withdraw for a little while. Annie had started to worry over him, but she didn't realize that that was how introverts worked, and that if he didn't take this time to himself now, the next school year would be awful.

Despite all these things, Abed still managed to spend a lot of time with Annie. She was good to talk to, as something just a little past a friend, as someone he was almost inevitably going to be something more than a friend with, when they felt the time was right. They talked about it, and Abed came to the conclusion that a relationship was like an equilateral triangle, with the bottom part as the friendship base, the smaller middle as romance, and the tiny top tier as sex. He was glad that they weren't building their relationship on sex, no matter how much he wanted it, because relationships built like that do tend to be unstable. Just look at Jeff and Britta, or Troy and any of his girlfriends.  
He and Annie talked about everything, but there was one conversation that he thought would always stick with him, no matter where he went in life.

"Abed, do you remember what you said about Jeff, when we... first dated? You and me?"

"Yes, of course. What about it?"

"I really think you were right. He would have tried to tear us apart. I haven't even told him that you and I... were/are involved, and he's already acting strangely. After he heard from Britta that I went on a date... he's been pursuing me almost relentlessly." This didn't surprise Abed. He'd witnessed some of this pursuit first hand.

"Well, I guess it's nice to know that I haven't lost my ability to predict human behavior based off character. I'm pretty sure he doesn't actually want you. He just wants the thought of you, and now that you've gone from available to unavailable, it's made him crazy. I'd almost call it karma, too, after what him and Britta said to Troy when you started dating Vaughn." Abed said, studying Annie's face.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. It kinda hurts though, y'know. Because I thought that he was actually my friend. He's been really disrespectful."

"He's still your friend, Annie. He can just get a bit crazy. Remember the biology debacle, when he got kicked out? At least he's not attacking you with a fire-axe." This made Annie laugh, and she came over to give Abed a cuddle. They spent a while just enjoying each other, just being in each other's arms. Then Annie looked up at Abed, and spoke again.

"You know, Abed, I'm really proud of you. Not many men would put this thought into setting up the foundations of a relationship. Especially since you haven't tried to force sex or anything on me. I like taking it slowly, especially for the first little while. Though-" here she giggled, "If you were anyone else, I would have thought you were gay."

Abed laughed at this. He liked the fact that Annie wasn't really pressuring him either, liked the fact that she realized that he was a bit broken, that he needed to heal and that he couldn't give her everything she wanted just yet.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not gay, Annie." Abed replied, knowing that she could feel how attracted he was to her. She blushed, kissed him on the cheek, and went away to do something else. In a way, he appreciated it, because he knew that she didn't want to tease him into doing something they weren't ready to do, but in another way, he just really wanted to have sex with her. If he had sex with her now, though, was he really much better material than, say, Jeff? No, no. They had the rest of their lives to bone each other. This time was for friendship. And healing. And missing Troy.

Thinking of Troy, Abed suddenly had a strong impulse to grow a goatee. He rubbed his chin, wondering what brought on that thought.


	8. Chapter 8

_**AN- **__Boy, I love me some Evil Abed, in a strange, masochistic kinda way._

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Annie had given him a quick kiss that morning before she left, blushing as she went out the door. It was the first proper kiss that they had had in months, and it left Abed mildly bewildered, but it still wasn't enough to break though his prevailing lethargy. He felt so... tired, all the time, like his grief was consuming him alive. He watched her leave, over his bowl of lucky charms, and wondered what he should do, for the tiny bit of the day that belonged to him.

Britta had asked him, during one of his many moments of weakness, to be his psychologist. It was a very, very, bad idea, Abed thought, but for some reason he had agreed to it. Maybe it had been because he was focusing on Annie's pleading eyes. The Disney features were one of the few things in this world that could take his breath away, and maybe, if Annie thought it would be good for him, it would be good for him. He wasn't looking forward to it, though. Dread had knotted a little in his stomach, and he searched pretty frantically for something to do.

He eventually found it, in a sub-par book someone had once bought him. Just because someone enjoys a movie, he thought to himself while thumbing through the pages, does not mean that they're going to enjoy the novelization of that movie. It was bearable, though, and took his mind off the impending Britta situation. The writing was atrocious, but what could you expect from someone who watched Vin Diesel movies for a job?

"Hmph." Someone said behind him, and Abed jumped. There was no-one here, except for him... and as he turned around to face the speaker, he realized that that was still true. It was... himself. How was Abed looking at himself? He sat there a moment and studied himself, slightly confused. He was... dressed in black, with a black goatee, and his hair was combed. He had dark rings around his eyes, and Abed could tell he wasn't looking healthy. Abed... the dark Abed... had lost more weight than the original Abed, and was even more stick-like. He also smelt strange... like someone who hadn't been taking care of themselves. Or someone who had no-one to take care of them.

"This is dark. You're a figment of my imagination, right? That's why you're standing in the door of the dreamatorium... Wait a minute..." Original Abed said, remembering. He had seen this version of himself before. In the dreamatorium, when he had played without Troy. Then, Dark Abed hadn't looked so unkempt. He'd looked like his goatee had just come through. Now, he looked like someone who had seen... and done... more than a person should. Original Abed shuddered to think what would have to happen to himself to become this person.

"Yes, I am you, Abed. Or... Lame Abed, as the Evil Study-group call you. I crossed over from the Evil universe so that we could kill you, and take your places... but where is Lame Troy?" Evil Abed asked, walking out of the dreamatorium and looking around.

"Troy... chose to leave us. To save us. He hasn't been here all summer... and he's not coming back." Original Abed said. It hurt as it came out of his mouth, but it was an important thing to say. He could tell by the way Evil Abed stiffened up, and turned to face him. He brought a knife out of his pocket, and lovingly ran his thumb along the edge of it, while rounding his gaze back on Original Abed.

"What... did... you... say?" Evil Abed said, and Original Abed could see the blood starting to bead on the edge of the knife. He felt like he had been tied up with ropes- he wanted to leave, to get out of the apartment, and away from this... person, this thing. He couldn't move though.

"Troy... has gone..." Original Abed said, and braced himself for Evil Abed's reaction.

"No. No. NOO. This wrecks... All of our plans!" He yelled, and slammed the knife into the table. Original Abed watched as Evil Abed walked back towards the dreamatorium. Maybe the crisis had been averted? But he had thought too soon, he thought to himself, as Evil Abed stopped. He turned to face himself.

"I've thought of something... better." He said, and Original Abed caught the notes of bitterness... and revenge, in his voice. This was the time for Original Abed to run, but he still couldn't move. Evil Abed started to walk toward himself.

"I've thought of something... more satisfying. If I... if We, can't reclaim our rightful places... I'm going to make your lives as horrible as ours. That way... no-one is the better Abed. No-one is the better Troy. No-one is the better study-group. This pain. It's all your fault, Abed. You wrecked our lives." Evil Abed said, and spat in Original Abed's face. Then he did something Original Abed didn't really understand. He... became him. He took over his own body. Evil Abed took over Original Abed's body, and pushed him to a place in his mind where he was helpless... where he could see everything that happened, but could control nothing. It was like he was a viewer of the TV show of some sick and twisted version of his own life.

Evil Abed's personal features disappeared when he fused with Original Abed. He examined his- their- hands, and touched his face.

"Hmm. No beard. Not good enough. Tell me, Lame Abed, where do you keep your felt?"

Original Abed refused to dignify that with a reply.

"Not going to talk? Well, I'll find out by force."

Then he ransacked Abed's brain, and gained control over all of Abed's memories. There were a few in there that he obviously wasn't expecting to see.

"What... you and Annie?" Evil Abed said, and began to laugh. "Annie is far too good for you. Annie is far too good for anyone. In my universe, she's in a mental hospital. She killed Pierce, you know. With a gun. Shot him, and he died. Well, he burnt to death, but the gun would have killed him. A lot better than the... antics you lot have been up to since the housewarming party."

"Annie loves me..." Original Abed said, in his brain. He couldn't talk out loud, but he could talk in a way that Evil Abed could hear him.

"Hmmm... I wouldn't be so sure..." said Evil Abed in a way that made Original Abed want to throw up. But of course he couldn't, he was a prisoner in his own mind.

As Evil Abed found the supplies he wanted for differentiational purposes, Original Abed mused over ways to try and escape this strange and downright scary situation he had found himself in. What was he going to do when Britta arrived... Britta!

They heard a knock on the door, and Evil Abed's eyes twinkled, just a little.

"Time to make this time-line the darkest one of all."


End file.
